Dogs are used by security officers when they act in an official capacity as such, as well as by men and women who, though not acting in an official capacity, nevertheless take a walk or otherwise venture from their homes only in the company of a dog on a leash. In each case, there may be occasion to release the dog from the leash so that he can track or pursue a suspect, or fend off an attacker without the constraint of the leash. For this reason, various leashes have been developed which are equipped with a quick release catch mechanism on the distal end thereof, so that the leash can be quickly detached from the dog's collar when the user wishes to release the dog for any of these purposes. However, in each instance, it is necessary to reach out to the dog, or draw the dog up to a point of proximity where the catch mechanism can be grasped for this purpose. And when the user is under attack, or a security officer is desirous of releasing the dog for the capture of a suspect, time is of the essence and even this brief step can consume valuable time needed in the process.